[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.71,0:00:03.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi. I'm going to talk \Nto you today about laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.92,0:00:06.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I just want to start \Nby thinking about the first time
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.71,0:00:08.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can ever remember noticing laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.74,0:00:11.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is when I was a little girl.\NI would've been about six,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.56,0:00:15.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I came across my parents\Ndoing something unusual
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.11,0:00:16.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where they were laughing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.62,0:00:18.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were laughing very, very hard.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.69,0:00:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were lying on the floor laughing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.59,0:00:22.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were screaming with laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.54,0:00:26.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I did not know what they were \Nlaughing at, but I wanted in.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.77,0:00:28.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wanted to be part of that,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.53,0:00:31.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I kind of sat around\Nat the edge going , "Hoo hoo!"
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.39,0:00:35.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, incidentally,\Nwhat they were laughing at
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.01,0:00:37.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a song which people used to sing
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.61,0:00:41.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which was based around\Nsigns in toilets on trains
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.26,0:00:44.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,telling you what you could\Nand could not do
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.25,0:00:45.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in toilets on trains.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.69,0:00:48.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the thing you have to remember\Nabout the English is, of course,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.89,0:00:51.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we do have an immensely\Nsophisticated sense of humor.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.80,0:00:53.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.30,0:00:55.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the time, though, I didn't\Nunderstand anything of that.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.42,0:00:57.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I just cared about the laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.07,0:01:00.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and actually, as a neuroscientist,\NI've come to care about it again.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.42,0:01:03.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it is a really weird thing to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.18,0:01:05.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What I'm going to do now\Nis just play some examples
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.59,0:01:07.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of real human beings laughing,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.14,0:01:10.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I want you think about the sound\Npeople make and how odd that can be,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.63,0:01:13.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in fact how primitive\Nlaughter is as a sound.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.20,0:01:16.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's much more like an animal call\Nthan it is like speech.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.01,0:01:19.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here we've got some laughter for you.\NThe first one is pretty joyful.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.49,0:01:33.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audio recording of different people laughing)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.80,0:01:38.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this next guy, I need him to breathe.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.26,0:01:40.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a point in there\Nwhere I'm just, like,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.46,0:01:42.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you've got to get some air in there, mate,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.14,0:01:44.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because he just sounds\Nlike he's breathing out.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.41,0:01:53.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Recording of laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.19,0:01:56.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This hasn't been edited, this is him.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.18,0:02:02.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Recording of laughter)\N(Audience Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.54,0:02:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And finally we have this,\Nthe human female laughing.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.28,0:02:10.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And laughter can take us to some pretty\Nodd places in terms of making noises.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.35,0:02:16.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audio recording of laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.68,0:02:23.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.88,0:02:32.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She actually says, "Oh my God,\Nwhat is that?" in French.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.61,0:02:36.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're all kind of with her.\NI have no idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.18,0:02:39.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, to understand laughter,\Nyou have to look at a part of the body
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.61,0:02:43.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that psychologists and neuroscientists\Ndon't normally spend much time looking at,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.43,0:02:44.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is the ribcage,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.50,0:02:46.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it doesn't seem terribly exciting,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.31,0:02:48.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but actually you're all using \Nyour ribcage all the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.99,0:02:51.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you're all doing \Nat the moment with your ribcage,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.57,0:02:53.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and don't stop doing it, is breathing.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.41,0:02:56.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you use the intercostal muscles,\Nthe muscles between your ribs,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.56,0:02:58.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to bring air in and out of your lungs
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.34,0:03:00.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just by expanding\Nand contracting your ribcage,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.53,0:03:03.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if I was to put a strap \Naround the outside of your chest
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.41,0:03:05.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called a breath belt, and just look \Nat that movement,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.98,0:03:09.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you see a rather gentle sinusoidal\Nmovement, so that's breathing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.13,0:03:10.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're all doing it. Don't stop.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.71,0:03:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As soon as you start talking,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.10,0:03:14.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you start using your breathing\Ncompletely differently.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.73,0:03:17.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what I'm doing now is you see\Nsomething much more like this.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.68,0:03:20.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In talking, you use a very fine\Nmovement of the ribcage
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.27,0:03:21.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to squeeze the air out,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.65,0:03:24.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in fact, we're the only animals\Nthat can do this.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.14,0:03:25.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's why we can talk at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.68,0:03:28.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, both talking and breathing\Nhas a mortal enemy,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.84,0:03:31.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that enemy is laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.21,0:03:33.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because what happens when you laugh
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.66,0:03:36.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is those same muscles\Nstart to contract very regularly,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.96,0:03:39.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you get this very marked\Nsort of zig-zagging,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.38,0:03:41.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's just squeezing\Nthe air out of you.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.56,0:03:44.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It literally is that basic a way\Nof making a sound.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.03,0:03:47.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You could be stamping on somebody,\Nit's having the same effect,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.02,0:03:48.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're just squeezing air out,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.51,0:03:51.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and each of those contractions\N-- ha! -- gives you a sound.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.34,0:03:54.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the contractions run together,\Nyou can get these spasms,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.12,0:03:57.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's when you start getting\Nthese "haaaaa" things happening.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.28,0:04:01.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm brilliant at this. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.58,0:04:05.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, in terms of the science of laughter,\Nthere isn't very much,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.80,0:04:08.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it does turn out that pretty much\Neverything we think we know
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.85,0:04:11.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about laughter is wrong.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.04,0:04:13.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's not at all unusual, for example,\Nto hear people to say,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.100,0:04:16.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Humans are the only animals that laugh."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.00,0:04:18.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nietzsche thought that humans\Nare the only animals that laugh.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.93,0:04:21.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, you find laughter\Nthroughout the mammals.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.39,0:04:23.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's been well-described\Nand well-observed in primates,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.97,0:04:25.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you also see it in rats,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.38,0:04:26.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and wherever you find it
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.58,0:04:28.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,-- humans, primates, rats --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.79,0:04:31.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you find it associated\Nwith things like tickling.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.81,0:04:34.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the same for humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.90,0:04:39.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You find it associated with play,\Nand all mammals play.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.56,0:04:43.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And wherever you find it,\Nit's associated with interactions.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.56,0:04:46.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So Robert Provine, who has done\Na lot of work on this,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.15,0:04:50.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has pointed out that you are 30 times \Nmore likely to laugh
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.99,0:04:54.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you are with somebody else\Nthan if you're on your own,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.35,0:04:56.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and where you find most laughter
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.26,0:04:59.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is in social interactions\Nlike conversation.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.04,0:05:01.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if you ask human beings,\N"When do you laugh?"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.29,0:05:05.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they'll talk about comedy and they'll talk\Nabout humor and they'll talk about jokes.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.26,0:05:08.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you look at when they laugh,\Nthey're laughing with their friends.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.73,0:05:11.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when we laugh with people,\Nwe're hardly ever laughing at jokes.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.89,0:05:14.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You are laughing to show people\Nthat you understand them,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.59,0:05:17.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you agree with them, that you're\Npart of the same group as them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.83,0:05:19.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're laughing to show\Nthat you like them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.86,0:05:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might even love them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.08,0:05:23.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're doing all that at the same time\Nas talking to them,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.79,0:05:26.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the laughter is doing a lot\Nof that emotional work for you.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.81,0:05:29.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something that Robert Provine\Nhas pointed out, as you can see here,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.99,0:05:31.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the reason why we were laughing
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.66,0:05:33.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when we heard those\Nfunny laughs at the start,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.81,0:05:36.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and why I was laughing\Nwhen I found my parents laughing,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.51,0:05:39.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that it's an enormously\Nbehaviorally contagious effect.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.35,0:05:41.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can catch laughter from somebody else,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.44,0:05:45.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you are more likely to catch laughter\Noff somebody else if you know them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.10,0:05:47.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's still modulated\Nby this social context.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.36,0:05:48.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You have to put humor to one side\N
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.95,0:05:51.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and think about the social \Nmeaning of laughter
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.17,0:05:53.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's where its origins lie.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.26,0:05:57.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, something I've got very interested in\Nis different kinds of laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.44,0:06:02.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we have some neurobiological evidence\Nabout how human beings vocalize
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.15,0:06:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that suggests there might be\Ntwo kinds of laughs that we have.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.28,0:06:11.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it seems possible that the neurobiology\Nfor helpless, involuntary laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.23,0:06:14.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like my parents lying on the floor\Nscreaming about a silly song,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.43,0:06:17.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,might have a different basis to it\Nthan some of that more polite
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.46,0:06:20.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,social laughter that you encounter,\Nwhich isn't horrible laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.63,0:06:24.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's behavior somebody is doing\Nas part of their communicative act to you,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.95,0:06:28.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,part of their interaction with you.\NThey are choosing to do this.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.05,0:06:31.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In our evolution, we have developed\Ntwo different ways of vocalizing.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.44,0:06:34.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,involuntary vocalizations\Nare part of an older system
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.36,0:06:37.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the more voluntary vocalizations\Nlike the speech I'm doing now.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.56,0:06:41.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we might imagine that laughter\Nmight actually have two different roots.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.04,0:06:43.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I've been looking at this\Nin more detail.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.09,0:06:46.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To do this, we've had to make\Nrecordings of people laughing,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.31,0:06:49.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we've had to do whatever it takes\Nto make people laugh,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.09,0:06:52.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we got those same people\Nto produce more posed, social laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.30,0:06:56.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So imagine your friend told a joke, and\Nyou're laughing 'cos you like your friend,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.21,0:06:58.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but not really because\Nthe joke's all that.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.23,0:07:00.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I'm going to play you \Na couple of those.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.35,0:07:03.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want you to tell me if you think\Nthis laughter is real laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.51,0:07:04.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or if you think it's posed.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.81,0:07:07.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So is this involuntary laughter\Nor more voluntary laughter?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.74,0:07:13.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audio laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.15,0:07:14.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What does that sound like to you?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.85,0:07:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Posed? Posed.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.31,0:07:17.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How about this one?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.82,0:07:22.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audio laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.37,0:07:24.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audience Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.04,0:07:25.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm the best.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.46,0:07:28.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter) (Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.48,0:07:29.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not really.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.82,0:07:31.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No, that was helpless laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.84,0:07:35.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in fact, to record that,\Nall they had to do was record me
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.12,0:07:38.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,watching one of my friends listening\Nto something I knew she wants to laugh at,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.86,0:07:40.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I just started doing this.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.36,0:07:43.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you find is that people\Nare good at telling the difference
Dialogue: 0,0:07:43.58,0:07:45.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between real and posed laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.13,0:07:47.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They seem to be different things to us.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.04,0:07:50.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Interestingly, you see something\Nsimilar with chimpanzees.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.07,0:07:52.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Chimpanzees laugh differently\Nif they're being tickled
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.62,0:07:54.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than if they're playing with each other,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.59,0:07:56.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we might be seeing\Nsomething like that here,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.85,0:08:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,involuntary laughter, tickling laughter,\Nbeing different from social laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.55,0:08:02.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're acoustically very different.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.29,0:08:04.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The real laughs are longer.\NThey're higher in pitch.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.78,0:08:06.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When you start laughing hard,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.20,0:08:08.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you start squeezing air out\Nfrom your lungs
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.25,0:08:11.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,under much higher pressures\Nthan you could ever produce voluntarily.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.44,0:08:14.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, I could never\Npitch my voice that high to sing.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.36,0:08:18.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, you start to get these sort of\Ncontractions and weird whistling sounds,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.03,0:08:20.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of which mean that real laughter\Nis extremely easy,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.80,0:08:22.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or feels extremely easy to spot.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.87,0:08:27.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In contrast, posed laughter,\Nwe might think it sounds a bit fake.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.95,0:08:30.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Actually, it's not, it's actually\Nan important social cue.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.69,0:08:33.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We use it a lot, we're choosing\Nto laugh in a lot of situations,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:33.77,0:08:35.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it seems to be its own thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.38,0:08:38.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, for example, you find\Nnasality in posed laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.17,0:08:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that kind of "ha ha ha ha ha" sound
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.28,0:08:43.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you never get, you could not do,\Nif you were laughing involuntarily.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.72,0:08:46.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they do seem to be genuinely\Nthese two different sorts of things.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.96,0:08:49.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We took it into the scanner\Nto see how brains respond
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.50,0:08:50.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you hear laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.72,0:08:53.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when you do this,\Nthis is a really boring experiment.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.40,0:08:55.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We just played people\Nreal and posed laughs.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.46,0:08:57.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We didn't tell them\Nit was a study on laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.65,0:09:00.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We put other sounds in there \Nto distract them,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.02,0:09:02.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all they're doing\Nis listening to sounds.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.13,0:09:03.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't tell them to do anything.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.86,0:09:07.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nonetheless, when you hear real laughter\Nand when you hear posed laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.34,0:09:09.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the brains are responding\Ncompletely differently,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.75,0:09:11.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,significantly differently.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.19,0:09:14.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you see in the regions in blue,\Nwhich lies in auditory cortex,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.73,0:09:17.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are the brain areas that respond\Nmore to the real laughs,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.42,0:09:18.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what seems to be the case,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.86,0:09:21.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you hear somebody\Nlaughing involuntarily,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.02,0:09:23.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you hear sounds you would never\Nhear in any other context.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.75,0:09:24.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's very unambiguous,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:24.83,0:09:27.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it seems to be associated\Nwith greater auditory processing
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.90,0:09:29.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of these novel sounds.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.27,0:09:33.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In contrast, when you hear somebody\Nlaughing in a posed way,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.08,0:09:35.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what you see are the regions in pink,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.12,0:09:38.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which are occupying brain areas\Nassociated with mentalizing,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.00,0:09:40.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thinking about what\Nsomebody else is thinking.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:40.16,0:09:41.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think what that means is,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.70,0:09:44.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if you're having your brain scanned,\Nwhich is completely boring
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.90,0:09:46.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and not very interesting,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.10,0:09:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you hear somebody going,\N"A ha ha ha ha ha,"
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.43,0:09:50.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're trying to work out\Nwhy they're laughing.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.62,0:09:52.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Laughter is always meaningful.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.07,0:09:54.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You are always trying\Nto understand it in context,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.41,0:09:57.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if, as far as you are concerned,\Nat that point in time,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.28,0:09:59.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it has not necessarily\Nanything to do with you,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.46,0:10:02.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you still want to know\Nwhy those people are laughing.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.14,0:10:06.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, we've had the opportunity to look \Nat how people hear real and posed laughter
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.00,0:10:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,across the age range.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.06,0:10:09.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is an online experiment\Nwe ran with the Royal Society,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.100,0:10:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and here we just asked people\Ntwo questions.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.10,0:10:13.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First of all, they heard some laughs,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.93,0:10:16.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they had to say, how real \Nor posed do these laughs sound?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.95,0:10:20.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The real laughs are shown in red\Nand the posed laughs are shown in blue.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.40,0:10:22.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you see is there is a rapid onset.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.30,0:10:25.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you get older, you get better\Nand better at spotting real laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.65,0:10:28.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So six year olds are at chance,\Nthey can't really hear the difference.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.98,0:10:31.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the time you are older, you get better,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.13,0:10:34.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but interestingly, you do not hit\Npeak performance in this dataset
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.75,0:10:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until you are in your\Nlate 30s and early 40s.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.28,0:10:41.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't understand laughter fully\Nby the time you hit puberty.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.32,0:10:44.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't understand laughter fully\Nby the time your brain is matured
Dialogue: 0,0:10:44.57,0:10:46.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the end of your teens.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.01,0:10:49.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're learning about laughter\Nthroughout your entire early adult life.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.82,0:10:53.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we turn the question around and now say\Nnot what does the laughter sound like
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.61,0:10:55.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in terms of being real\Nor posed, but we say,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.67,0:10:58.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"How much does this laughter\Nmake you want to laugh?
Dialogue: 0,0:10:58.15,0:11:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How contagious is this laughter to you?"\Nwe see a different profile.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.36,0:11:02.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here, the younger you are,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.87,0:11:05.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the more you want to join in\Nwhen you hear laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.30,0:11:08.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Remember me laughing with my parents\Nwhen I had no idea what was going on.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.80,0:11:10.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You really can see this.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.02,0:11:12.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now everybody, young and old,\Nfinds the real laughs
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.42,0:11:14.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more contagious than the posed laughs,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.26,0:11:17.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but as you get older, it all becomes \Nless contagious to you.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.17,0:11:21.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now either we're all just becoming\Nreally grumpy as we get older,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.38,0:11:24.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or it may mean that as you\Nunderstand laughter better,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.30,0:11:26.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you are getting better at doing that,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.39,0:11:29.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you need more than just\Nhearing people laugh to want to laugh.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.34,0:11:31.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You need the social stuff there.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.99,0:11:33.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we've got a very interesting behavior
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.96,0:11:37.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about which a lot of our\Nlay assumptions are incorrect,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.44,0:11:39.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I'm coming to see that actually
Dialogue: 0,0:11:39.90,0:11:43.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's even more to laughter\Nthan it's an important social emotion
Dialogue: 0,0:11:43.08,0:11:46.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we should look at, because it turns out\Npeople are phenomenally nuanced
Dialogue: 0,0:11:46.61,0:11:48.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in terms of how we use laughter.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.22,0:11:51.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a really lovely set of studies\Ncoming out from Robert Levenson's lab
Dialogue: 0,0:11:51.91,0:11:55.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in California, where he's doing\Na longitudinal study with couples.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.16,0:11:58.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He gets married couples, men and women,\Ninto the lab, and he gives them
Dialogue: 0,0:11:58.54,0:12:01.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stressful conversations to have\Nwhile he wires them up to a polygraph
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.85,0:12:03.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so he can see them becoming stressed.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.63,0:12:06.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you've got the two of them in there,\Nand he'll say to the husband,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.90,0:12:09.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Tell me something that your wife does\Nthat irritates you."
Dialogue: 0,0:12:09.68,0:12:11.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what you see is immediately
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.19,0:12:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,-- just run that one through your head\Nbriefly, you and your partner --
Dialogue: 0,0:12:14.62,0:12:18.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can imagine everybody gets a bit\Nmore stressed as soon as that starts.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.77,0:12:21.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can see physically,\Npeople become more stressed.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:21.40,0:12:27.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What he finds is that the couples\Nwho manage that feeling of stress
Dialogue: 0,0:12:27.18,0:12:30.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with laughter,\Npositive emotions like laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.68,0:12:34.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not only immediately become less stressed,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:34.49,0:12:36.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they can see them\Nphysically feeling better,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.91,0:12:40.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're dealing with this\Nunpleasant situation better together,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.06,0:12:41.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they are also the couples that report
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.88,0:12:44.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,high levels of satisfaction\Nin their relationship
Dialogue: 0,0:12:44.24,0:12:45.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they stay together for longer.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.92,0:12:48.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in fact, when you look\Nat close relationships,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.24,0:12:51.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,laughter is a phenomenally useful index\Nof how people are regulating
Dialogue: 0,0:12:51.47,0:12:52.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their emotions together.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.69,0:12:55.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're not just emitting at each other\Nto show that we like each other,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:55.98,0:12:58.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're making ourselves\Nfeel better together.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:58.06,0:13:01.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I don't think this is going\Nto be limited to romantic relationships.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:01.54,0:13:04.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think this is probably\Ngoing to be a characteristic
Dialogue: 0,0:13:04.01,0:13:07.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of close emotional relationships\Nsuch as you might have with friends,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.33,0:13:09.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which explains my next clip,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.16,0:13:12.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is of a YouTube video of some\Nyoung men in the former East Germany
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.80,0:13:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on making a video to promote\Ntheir heavy metal band,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:16.31,0:13:19.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's extremely macho,\Nand the mood is very serious,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.21,0:13:22.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I want to notice what happens\Nin terms of laughter
Dialogue: 0,0:13:22.32,0:13:24.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when things go wrong
Dialogue: 0,0:13:24.27,0:13:28.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and how quickly that happens,\Nand how that changes the mood.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.87,0:13:32.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's cold. He's about to get wet.\NHe's got swimming trunks on,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.91,0:13:36.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,got a towel.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:36.65,0:13:38.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ice.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:38.32,0:13:40.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What might possibly happen?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:42.59,0:13:44.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Video starts.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:45.91,0:13:47.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Serious mood.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:54.74,0:13:59.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And his friends are already laughing.\NThey are already laughing, hard.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:59.25,0:14:01.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's not laughing yet.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:02.86,0:14:04.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:14:04.51,0:14:06.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's starting to go now.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:13.46,0:14:15.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now they're all off.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:15.52,0:14:20.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:14:32.65,0:14:34.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're on the floor.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:34.40,0:14:38.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:14:43.73,0:14:47.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The thing I really like about that\Nis it's all very kind of serious
Dialogue: 0,0:14:47.04,0:14:50.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until he jumps onto the ice, and\Nas soon as he doesn't go through the ice,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:50.76,0:14:53.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but also there isn't blood\Nand bone everywhere,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:53.03,0:14:54.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his friends start laughing,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:54.60,0:14:57.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and imagine that hadn't played him out\Nwith him standing there, saying,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:57.99,0:15:00.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"No seriously, Heinrich,\NI think this is broken,"
Dialogue: 0,0:15:00.44,0:15:03.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we wouldn't enjoy watching that.\NThat would be stressful.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:03.19,0:15:06.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or if he was running around\Nwith a visibly broken leg laughing,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:06.18,0:15:10.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and his friends are going, "Heinrich, I\Nthink we need to go to the hospital now,"
Dialogue: 0,0:15:10.01,0:15:11.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that also wouldn't be funny.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:11.41,0:15:13.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The fact that the laughter works,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:13.07,0:15:16.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it gets him from a painful,\Nembarrassing, difficult situation,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:16.03,0:15:19.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into a funny situation, into what we're \Nactually enjoying there,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:19.12,0:15:21.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I think that's \Na really interesting use,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:21.30,0:15:23.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's actually happening all the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:23.28,0:15:25.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, I can remember\Nsomething like this happening
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.97,0:15:27.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at my father's funeral.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:27.17,0:15:29.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We weren't jumping round\Non the ice in our underpants.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:29.78,0:15:32.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're not Canadian.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:32.42,0:15:34.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But -- (Laughter) (Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:15:35.84,0:15:39.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These events are always difficult, I had\Na relative who was being a bit difficult,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:39.75,0:15:41.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my mum was not in a good place,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:41.25,0:15:44.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I can remember finding myself\Njust before the whole thing started
Dialogue: 0,0:15:44.77,0:15:48.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,telling this story about something\Nthat happened in a 1970s sitcom,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:48.11,0:15:51.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I just thought,\NI don't know why I'm doing this,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:51.69,0:15:55.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what I realized I was doing\Nwas I was coming up with something
Dialogue: 0,0:15:55.43,0:15:59.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from somewhere I could use\Nto make her laugh together with me.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:59.82,0:16:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was a very basic reaction\Nto shine some reason we can do this.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:02.88,0:16:05.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can laugh together.\NWe're going to get through this.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.57,0:16:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're going to be okay.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:07.06,0:16:09.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in fact, all of us\Nare doing this all the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:09.50,0:16:11.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You do it so often,\Nyou don't even notice it.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:11.69,0:16:14.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody underestimates\Nhow often they laugh,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:14.10,0:16:17.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you're doing something,\Nwhen you laugh with people,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:17.12,0:16:21.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's actually letting you access\Na really ancient evolutionary system
Dialogue: 0,0:16:21.95,0:16:25.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that mammals have evolved\Nto make and maintain social bonds,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:25.76,0:16:29.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and clearly to regulate emotions,\Nto make ourselves feel better.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:29.15,0:16:32.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not something specific to humans.\NIt's a really ancient behavior
Dialogue: 0,0:16:32.54,0:16:36.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which really helps us regulate how we feel\Nand makes us feel better.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:36.60,0:16:39.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, when it comes to laughter,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:39.50,0:16:42.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you and me, baby,\Nain't nothing but mammals.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:42.17,0:16:44.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:44.52,0:16:51.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you. (Applause)